Draw a Binoculars Illustration in Photoshop

Draw a Binoculars Illustration in Photoshop

In today's advanced drawing tutorial you will learn how to draw a
pair of binoculars from scratch using Photoshop. This tutorial is
perfect if you're interested in icon or illustration design and walks
you through each step of the illustration process. You'll learn about
Photoshop's advanced drawing capabilities and texturing/lighting
techniques.

Final Image

As always, this is the final image that we'll be creating:

Step 1

Open Photoshop and hit Control + N to create a new document. Enter
all the data shown in the following image and click OK. Enable the Grid
(View > Show > Grid) and the Snap to Grid (View > Snap To
> Grid). For the moment you need a grid every 1px. Go to Edit >
Preferences > Guides, Grid & Slices and focus on the Grid
section. Enter 1 in the Gridline Every box and 1 in the Subdivision
box. Also, set the color of the grid at #696969. Once you set all
these properties click OK. Don't get discouraged by all that grid. It
will ease your work later. You should also open the Info panel
(Window > Info) for a live preview with the size and position of
your shapes.

Step 2

Pick a simple red for the foreground color, grab the Ellipse Tool and
create a 126 by 22px vector path. Select it and switch to the Rectangle
Tool. Check the "Add" button from the top bar and draw a 126 by 11px
vector path as shown in the second image. Make sure that this red vector
path is still selected and grab the Ellipse Tool. Check the "Subtract"
button and draw an 126 by 22px vector path as shown in the third image.
Move to the Layers panel and double click on your vector path to open
the Layer Style window. Enter the properties shown in the following
images then click OK.

Step 3

Reselect the vector path made in the previous step and duplicate it
(Control + J). Move to the Layers panel, right click on this copy and
click on Clear Layer Style. Select the copy, lower its Fill to 0% then
open the Layer Style window and enter the properties shown in the
following image.

Step 4

Grab the Rectangle Tool, create a 134 by 308 vector path and place it as shown in the following image.

Step 5

Pick the Direct Selection Tool and focus on the top side of the
rectangle made in the previous step. Select the left anchor point and
move it 16px to the right then select the right anchor point and move it
18px to the left.

Step 6

Reselect the vector path made in the previous step and go to Edit
> Transform > Warp. Select Bulge from the Warp drop-down menu,
check the Orientation button, enter 5 in the Bend box and hit Enter.
Make sure that your red vector path is still selected and go again to
Edit > Transform > Warp. Select Arc Lower from the Warp drop-down
menu, check the Orientation button, enter -5 in the Bend box and hit
Enter.

Step 7

Reselect the vector path edited in the previous step and grab the
Rounded Rectangle Tool. Set the radius at 5px, check the "Add" button
from the top bar and draw a 42 by 116px vector path as shown in the
following image.

Step 8

Reselect the vector path edited in the previous step and grab the
Ellipse Tool. Check the "Add" button from the top bar and draw a 134 by
24px vector path as shown in the first image. Make sure that your red
vector path is still selected, check the "Subtract" button from the top
bar and draw a 100 by 18px vector path as shown in the second image.

Step 9

Reselect the vector path edited in the previous step and grab the
Rectangle Tool. Check the "Add" button from the top bar and draw a 134
by 32px vector path as shown in the first image. Switch to the Ellipse
Tool, check the "Add" button from the top bar and draw a 134 by 28px
vector path as shown in the second image.

Step 10

Open the Layer Style window for the red vector path made in the
previous steps and enter the properties shown in the following images.

Step 11

Reselect the vector path made in the previous step and duplicate it
(Control + J). Focus on this copy, Clear the Layer Style, lower its Fill
to 0% then open the Layer Style window and enter the properties shown
in the following image.

Step 12

Pick a pale yellow for the foreground color, grab the Ellipse Tool,
create a 100 by 18px vector path and place it as shown in the first
image. Open the Layer Style window for this new vector path and enter
the properties shown in the following images.

Step 13

Pick a simple red for the foreground color, grab the Ellipse Tool,
create a 92 by 16px vector path and place it as shown in the first
image. Select it and switch to the Rectangle Tool. Check the "Add"
button from the top bar and draw a 92 by 8px vector path as shown in the
second image. Make sure that this red vector path is still selected and
grab the Ellipse Tool. Check the "Subtract" button and draw a 97 by
16px vector path as shown in the third image. Move to the Layers panel,
open the Layer Style window for this new vector path and enter the
properties shown in the following images.

Step 14

Pick a pale yellow for the foreground color, grab the Ellipse Tool,
create a 96 by 16px vector path and place it as shown in the first
image. Select it and switch to the Rectangle Tool. Check the "Add"
button from the top bar and draw a 96 by 42px vector path as shown in
the second image. Open the Layer Style window for this new vector path
and enter the properties shown in the following images.

Step 15

Pick a simple red for the foreground color, grab the Ellipse Tool,
create a 96 by 16px vector path and place it as shown in the first
image. Open the Layer Style window for this new path and enter the
properties shown in the following images.

Step 16

Set the foreground color at #575f61, grab the Ellipse Tool, create an
84 by 10px vector path, place it as shown in the first image then
duplicate it (Control + J). Select this copy and replace the existing
fill color with #596f7a. Continue with the Ellipse Tool, check the
"Intersect" button from the top bar and draw a 58 by 13px vector path as
shown in the second image. Duplicate this vector path (Control + J).
Select the copy and replace the existing fill color with #9fa8ac. Make
sure that the Ellipse Tool is still selected, check the "Intersect"
button from the top bar and draw a 42 by 6px vector path as shown in the
third image.

Step 17

Open the Layer Style window for the first vector path made in the
previous step and enter the properties shown in the following images.

Step 18

Open the Layer Style window for the second vector path made in the
sixteenth step and enter the properties shown in the following images.

Step 19

Open the Layer Style window for the third vector path made in the
sixteenth step and enter the properties shown in the following images.

Step 20

Move to the Layers panel, select all the shapes created so far and
covert them to a smart object. Select it and go to Filter > Noise
> Add Noise. Enter the data shown in the following image then click
OK.

Step 21

Pick a simple blue for the foreground color, grab the Rectangle Tool,
create a 56 by 25px vector path and place it as shown in the following
image.

Step 22

Reselect the vector path made in the previous step and grab the
Ellipse Tool. Check the "Add" button from the top bar and draw a 56 by
10px vector path as shown in the first image. Continue with the Ellipse
Tool, check the "Subtract" button and draw a 60 by 10px vector path as
shown in the second image.

Step 23

Hit Control + N to create a new document. Enter 2 in the width and
height boxes and click OK. Move to the Layers panel and remove the
default "Background" layer. Set the foreground color at black, grab the
Rectangle Tool, create a 1 by 2px vector path and place it as shown in
the following image. Next, you need to turn this tiny document into a
pattern. Simply go to Edit > Define Pattern, pick a name for your
pattern and click OK. Close this document (you don't need to save it)
and return to your first document.

Step 24

Reselect the vector path made in the the twenty-second step, open the
Layer Style window and enter the properties shown in the following
images.

Step 25

Reselect the vector path edited in the previous step and duplicate it
(Control + J). Focus on this copy, Clear the Layer Style, lower its
Fill to 0% then open the Layer Style window and enter the properties
shown in the following image. Use the pattern made in the twenty-third
step.

Step 26

Reselect the vector path edited in the previous step and duplicate it
(Control + J). Focus on this copy, Clear the Layer Style, lower its
Fill to 0% then open the Layer Style window and enter the properties
shown in the following image.

Step 27

Reselect the vector path edited in the previous step and duplicate it
(Control + J). Focus on this copy, Clear the Layer Style, lower its
Fill to 0% then open the Layer Style window and enter the properties
shown in the following image.

Step 28

Pick a simple green for the foreground color, grab the Rectangle
Tool, create a 60 by 130px vector path and place it as shown in the
first image. Select it, grab the Ellipse Tool and focus on the bottom
side of your green vector path. Check the "Add" button and draw a 60 by
10px vector path as shown in the second image. Continue with the
Ellipse Tool, check the "Subtract" button, focus on the top side of your
green vector path and draw a 66 by 10px vector path as shown in the
third image.

Step 29

Reselect the vector path made in the the previous step, open the
Layer Style window and enter the properties shown in the following
images.

Step 30

Reselect the vector path edited in the previous step and duplicate it
(Control + J). Focus on this copy, Clear the Layer Style, lower its
Fill to 0% then open the Layer Style window and enter the properties
shown in the following image.

Step 31

Pick a simple blue for the foreground color, grab the Rectangle Tool,
create a 66 by 60px vector path and place it as shown in the first
image. Select it, grab the Ellipse Tool and focus on the bottom side of
your blue vector path. Check the "Add" button and draw a 66 by 10px
vector path as shown in the second image.

Step 32

Reselect the vector path made in the previous step and duplicate it
(Control + J). Select this copy, replace the blue with black and grab
the Rounded Rectangle Tool. Set the radius at 5px, check the "Intersect"
button and draw four, 5 by 50px vector paths as shown in the first
image. Make sure that this new vector path is still selected and go to
Edit > Transform > Warp. Select Arc Lower from the Warp drop-down
menu, enter 25 in the Bend box and hit Enter.

Step 33

Reselect the vector path made in the the previous step, open the
Layer Style window and enter the properties shown in the following
images.

Step 34

Reselect the vector path edited in the previous step and duplicate it
(Control + J). Focus on this copy, Clear the Layer Style, lower its
Fill to 0% then open the Layer Style window and enter the properties
shown in the following image.

Step 35

Reselect the blue vector path made in the the thirty-first step, open
the Layer Style window and enter the properties shown in the following
images.

Step 36

Set the foreground color at green, grab the Ellipse Tool, create a
66 by 11px vector path and place it as shown in the first image. Open
the Layer Style window for this new path and enter the properties shown
in the following images.

Step 37

Reselect all the shapes created in the last sixteen steps and turn
them into a smart object. Select it and go to Filter > Noise > Add
Noise. Enter the data shown in the following image then click OK.

Step 38

Reselect the smart object made in the twentieth step and duplicate it
(Control + J). Select this copy, flip it horizontally (Edit >
Transform > Flip Horizontal), drag it to the right and place it as
shown in the following image.

Step 39

For the final steps you'll need a grid every 5px. So, go to Edit >
Preferences > Guides, Grid & Slices and enter 5 in the Gridline
Every box. Set the foreground color at black, grab the Rectangle Tool,
create a 110 by 105px vector path and place it as shown in the first
image. Switch to the Direct Selection Tool and focus on the bottom side
of this black rectangle. Select the left anchor point and move it 15px
to the right then select the right anchor point and move it 15px to the
left. Make sure that this black vector path is still selected and send
it to back (Shift + Control + [ ).

Step 40

Grab the Ellipse Tool and create two, 135 by 20px vector paths. Place
these new shapes as shown in the first image then lower their opacity
to 10%.

Step 41

Grab the Ellipse Tool and create two, 145 by 35px vector paths. Place
these new shapes as shown in the first image then convert them to a
smart object. Select it, lower the opacity to 30% then go to Filter >
Blur > Gaussian Blur. Enter a 5px radius and click OK.

Step 42

Grab the Ellipse Tool and create two, 175 by 50px vector paths. Place
these new shapes as shown in the first image then convert them to a
smart object. Select it, lower the opacity to 15% then go to Filter >
Blur > Gaussian Blur. Enter a 10px radius and click OK.

Step 43

Grab the Ellipse Tool, create a 370 by 80px vector paths, place it as
shown in the first image then convert it to a smart object. Select it,
lower its opacity to 20% then go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur.
Enter a 25px radius and click OK. Select this smart object along with
the vector shapes and the smart objects created in the last three steps
and group them (Control + G). Select this new group and send it to back
(Shift + Control + [ ).

Step 44

Set the foreground color at #f4f3ee, grab the Rectangle Tool, create a
600 by 420px vector path and place it as show in the first image.
Select it, send it to back (Shift + Control + [ ) then open the Layer
Style window and enter the properties shown in the following image.

Step 45

Grab the Rectangle Tool, create a 600 by 180px vector path and place
it as show in the first image. Select it, send it to back (Shift +
Control + [ ) then open the Layer Style window and enter the properties
shown in the following image.

Step 46

Set the foreground color at white. Grab the Brush Tool, pick the Hard
Round brush and set the size at 1px. Create a new layer (Shift +
Control + Alt + N), select it, switch to the Pen Tool and draw an arched
path as shown in the first image. Right click on this path and click on
Stroke Path. Select Brush from the Tools drop-down menu, check the
"Simulate Pressure" box and click OK. In the end your path should look
like in the second image. Select it and change the blending mode to Soft
Light.

Step 47

Reselect the layer made in the previous step and duplicate it
(Control + J). Select this copy, flip it horizontally (Edit >
Transform > Flip Horizontal), drag it to the right, place it as shown
in the following image and you're done.

And We're Done!

Here is how your final result should look.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PSD.FanExtra is a blog centered around design and Photoshop. We provide in depth Photoshop tutorials, articles, inspiration, freebies and more. Our goal is to help teach and inspire creatives around the world,and contribute to the design community.